1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vitamin enriched cereals and methods for producing them. More specifically, this invention relates to a vitamin enriched milled cereal made by a method wherein a dry vitamin premix is distributed into the cereal ingredients before shredding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Breakfast cereal products are often enriched with vitamins. In methods for making milled cereals, vitamins are generally sprayed onto the cereal pieces formed during milling after they are baked. In order to accomplish this a multi-vitamin premix, which can be a dry composition, is mixed into a solution and sprayed onto the cereal pieces. Spraying the multi-vitamin solution onto the cereal pieces after baking of the ceral pieces prevents heat labile vitamins from degradation during the baking process. Vitamin degradation from cooking steps is particularly undesirable because of the formation of distasteful odors and flavors as well as the loss of heat labile vitamin activity. The topical application of a vitamin solution is undesirable because yellow stains appear on the surface of the cereal pieces. Topically applied vitamins can cause an undesirable flavor for the cereal piece. Additionally, when the vitamins dry and remain on the surface area of the cereal pieces, the vitamin are in direct contact with the cereal consumer's tongue. Where cereal products such as shredded cereal products have a high surface area, the amount of vitamins which come into contact with the consumer's tongue during consumption is increased. Applying a frosting to the cereal pieces after the vitamin solution has been sprayed onto the cereal pieces is helpful in masking the flavor of the vitamins, but this process can also dilute the vitamin content present upon the cereal pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,824 to Keyser et al. discloses a method of coating cereal products with vitamins. This process requires that a cereal grain be precooked, dried, and formed into particles. The cereal particles are then coated with vitamins. The vitamins are prepared in a fatty composition before their application to the cereal particles. This patent states that the addition of vitamins to a cereal dough is old and undesirable. The reason stated for the undesirability of premixing vitamins into a cereal dough is that the vitamins are deactivated during the cooking step. The Hoffman La Roche vitamin premix discussed in this patent is typical of a dry multi-vitamin premix used for fortifying cereals and other grain products.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,345,571 to Briod et al. discloses processes for producing a vitamin fortified, dry product. The processes according to this invention require that a fat soluble vitamin composition be added to an aqueous slurry of a vegetable material. The examples in this patent indicate that the fat soluble vitamin composition is a liquid, oleaginous mixture. The vitamin composition is not added to the vegetable material in a dry powder form.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,575,762 to Hoffman et al. discloses a method of adding dry vitamins, in this case B vitamins, to a bread dough. This method requires devitalizing a yeast and then drying the yeast without rupturing cell walls. The resulting product is added to another food product to supplement its vitamin content. This reference is only concerned with vitamins contained in yeast and not dry powder vitamin mixtures. Additionally, this patent is only concerned with enriching the vitamin B content in foods.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,521 to Mateles et al. discloses a method for fortifying grain products with dry mixtures of vitamins and minerals. This patent is concerned with coating the grain product with a vitamin coating. The product of this patent is subject to the same problems of undesirable flavor and color variations due to the topical coating of the vitamin on the food product. This patent does not diclose a method for incorporating or distributing the vitamin into the cereal grain mass of the food product.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,497,035 to Seeder discloses a process of preparing a vitamin C enriched baked product. The method of this patent involves adding either dry or wet ascorbic acid to a dough which is then baked. This patent is unconcerned with preparing a cereal product or a product enriched by any vitamins other than vitamin C.
U.S. published patent application Ser. No. B493,950 to Borenstein et al. discloses a composition in which dry vitamin A in powder form is added to a flour. The flour can then be used to prepare baked goods. This patent is unconcerned with the enriching of a cereal product with a dry multi-vitamin mixture.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method of incorporating or distributing a dry multi-vitamin premix into a cereal grain mass before that cereal grain is milled and formed into cereal pieces. This invention includes the product of the method of producing cereal pieces having dry vitamins incorporated into them. This object is achieved without sacrificing activity of the multi-vitamins and produces a multi-vitamin enriched milled cereal product without an adverse effect on the flavor or appearance of the cereal product by the incorporated or distributed multi-vitamins.